A Change in Chat-racter
by EllieCake5
Summary: Firstly, sorry for that awful pun. Chat Noir and Ladybug have an argument which leads to her seeking advice from the Master. But unbeknownst to her, someone knows more than they should. What advice will the Master give her? Will Chat Noir change for the better? And what will become of the snooper?
1. Chapter 1

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

The akuma known as Vérité had been defeated. The victim, who had been upset when his crush revealed she was in a relationship, had been given the power to make people confess their crushes and follow that person around by Hawkmoth. He'd come close to getting the miraculouses by hitting Chat Noir with his spell, rendering him not only useless, but a hinderance to Ladybug as well. But thanks to a well-timed lucky charm, the duo was successful and purified the akuma hiding in a confession letter.

"Bien joué!" Ladybug held out her fist, expecting Chat to fist bump it as they always do. Instead, she was met with a face with an expression that could only be described as betrayal. "Chat? What's the matter?" A hand, tentatively placed on his shoulder, was soon brushed off by the black cat miraculous holder.

"How can you stand there and smile after what you did? Do you care about how I feel at all?"

"Where is this coming from? What did I do?" Her earrings beeped. She had to wrap this up quickly.

"I was confessing my undying love for you and you just brushed me off!" Chat's usual green eyes began to redden.

"You were being controlled by the akuma!"

"An akuma that made me say the truth! This is how I feel Ladybug!" Another beep. This conversation would have to wait for the patrol tonight.

"Please Chat, let's discuss this later. I'm going to detransform soon and I'd rather do it in private where it can't be filmed." Alya sheepishly grinned. Great, another thing she'd have to deal with later – the entire discussion being posted on the ladyblog. She didn't have much time to think about that however, as her wrist was grabbed by a clawed hand. "What the hell, Chat? Let me go!"

"Not until you confess how you really feel! I see how you look at me! You love me, Ladybug! We're meant to be together; not even you can stop fate!" His rant was stopped by a hand slapping his face, loosening his grip on Ladybug's arm. She quickly pulled herself free and bolted away from her partner, not in the direction of her house, however. Chat stood there stunned. A perfect print of Ladybug's hand squarely on his cheek. If he wasn't in complete shock, he would've followed her.

Though he wasn't as shocked as the Ladyblogger stood next to him. Her mouth was agape, her phone on the floor still recording. She didn't know whose side to take – Ladybug's or Chat's. She'd always been a huge Ladynoir shipper, but Chat had made Ladybug upset. She'd let her fans on her blog decide who was in the right.

Her transformation fell as she landed in an alleyway. Shaking, Marinette fell to her knees, mind racing about the event which had not long since transpired. Chat Noir had just grabbed her. Chat Noir had just pushed her feelings aside. Chat Noir had just been slapped by her! And Alya had recorded the whole thing. Oh God. How was she going to cope at school tomorrow? Everyone would be talking about the argument. How would she face Chat at their next patrol? Maybe someone else would be a better partner for-

"Marinette breathe!" A high-pitched voice called. Tikki, who was in her bag but had since flown out, held onto the girl's finger. This seemed to calm her down for a second. Breaking her train of thought. "Listen to me. None of this is your fault. Chat Noir shouldn't have said those things."

"B-but what about fate? He said- "

"What Chat Noir said was false information probably given by Plagg. Don't worry yourself. Now, let's go talk to Master about this. I'm sure he'll be very interested in what we have to say"

"We?" Marinette looked puzzled at her kwami.

"I have criticism on his choice of the black cat holder. It's not the first time this has happened."

"Okay then. Let's go."

Two hands clasped at the mouth of Kagami Tsurugi. Her heart raced at what she just saw. One thought plagued her mind – Marinette was Ladybug!


	2. Chapter 2

Master Fu's shop was the same as always. Same white walls, same floor mat and the same smell of tea wafting in the air as Marinette walked in. The shop usually makes her feel calm, but in this moment, she couldn't help but feel anxious at what her and Chat's future may be. What if he takes her miraculous from her as punishment for being rude to Chat? What if the new Ladybug he picks is much better than her? What if –

"Marinette are you okay? You seem a bit out of it." His voice was calm and soothing. His face full of worry for the girl.

"Please… Please don't take Tikki away!" Marinette choked. The blue of her eyes stood out more with the redness of her face. "I didn't mean to be rude to Chat, but I couldn't think of what else to say. I know my actions are worthy of punishment, but please Master, I wouldn't be able to cope without her."

"Who said anything about punishing you?" A teacup was pushed into her hands, earning a quizzical look from the sniffling girl. "It's camomile. It'll help you calm down. Now, I'm guessing this is about that argument that was posted on the Ladyblog just now. If so, you have done nothing wrong."

"How could I have done nothing wrong? I slapped him! The balance between the miraculous could be broken and it's all my fault!"

"Tell me Marinette, have you noticed the akumas getting tougher for you to defeat since Syren? I'm afraid the balance has been broken for a while now." He sighed. "I knew that boy wasn't right for the black cat miraculous. Which is why I want you to look at this."

Fu's hand opened slowly, revealing a silver ring and a certain black kwami curled up next to it. As soon as he saw Marinette, he perked up and flew over to her.

"I'm so sorry about what my kitten did to you Marinette. I should've said something to him a while ago, but he kept threatening to renounce me. So, I did it for him."

"Plagg? Wait so is that?" Her hands flew to her mouth, tears formed in her eyes and she began to shake. "B-but Chat Noir…"

"No longer wields the black cat miraculous." Plagg's voice was unwavering with a tinge of anger. "I came here to find a new holder."

"Now, now Plagg. You know it isn't your choice. I will pick a new holder for you." Fu scolded the tiny god.

"No!" Tikki flew right in front of Fu's face. Anger plastered on her face. "You will not pick this one. This isn't the first time one of your chosens hasn't been right for the black cat. I will not let one of your bad decisions endanger my bug again. Besides, Marinette and I know someone perfect for the role."

"We do?"

"Yes. And she's standing just behind that door now."

Marinette rushed over to the door and opened it, revealing a very embarrassed looking Kagami. Tikki flew over to the Japanese girl with a smile on her face. "Please come in Miss Tsurugi. We have a lot to talk about."

"Tikki what are you doing! She knows what a kwami looks like! If we're not careful she'll piece together that I'm- "

"Ladybug." Kagami interjected. "I saw you detransform in the alleyway and I wanted to believe that it was just a dream, but you're actually her." Her eyes were wide as she looked Marinette up and down, before returning to their normal size with a smirk. "I mean, you do look exactly like her. How more people haven't figured it out is beyond me."

"You saw me? Oh God! My identity! Master I am so sorry!" She pleaded.

"No need to apologise Marinette. I feel the same way as Tikki about this girl. She seems very precise and confident. Which are two very good qualities to have for a Chat Noir. What do you think Plagg?"

"I like her. She'll be a good kitten." Plagg extended one of his paws "Kagami Tsurugi, will you become the new permanent holder of the black cat miraculous?"

"Hold on for a second. You are Chat Noir's kwami? And that's his miraculous? And he lost it because he didn't stop flirting?" She looked around at everyone in the room confusedly, her eyes finally landing on Marinette.

"That's all correct. We need a new Chat Noir after the old one proved he couldn't be trusted. And seeing as you already know my identity, you won't be constantly asking me for it. You're the best person I can think of for this role." Marinette's eye's widened, reminding Kagami of a puppy. She blushed for a second before regaining her composure.

"I'll do it. If it means keeping Paris safe with you then I'll be the new Chat Noir. Though, I'd like to be called Kuro Neko instead."


	3. Chapter 3

Adrien awoke the next morning earlier than usual. His dreams were plagued by the argument of the prior evening. Hissing as his hand touched his face, he remembered the slap that was given to him. His Lady had great strength.

Swiftly, he was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of an explosion outside. A large child roamed the streets, crying as it searched for something. "Well isn't that just great?" He said aloud, "Seems like Augustus has lost something, and Hawkmoth has taken advantage of his emotions. Though I do get to see my lady again. Perhaps she will apologise. Plagg! Claws Out!"

Adrien stood, ready to transform for a good few seconds before realising something was wrong. Usually when he said those words, Plagg was sucked into the ring whether he wanted to be or not. Wait… The ring…

He looked down to his hand only to see his finger without the miraculous. "Crap!" He thought. Running straight to his bed, Adrien tore off the covers and frantically searched for the ring. After whet felt like an eternity looking, he unlocked his phone and went onto the Ladyblog to see how Ladybug was faring without him. His phone hit the floor with a thud. His hands flew to his agape mouth and he began to shake. There, on the Ladyblog, was an image of Ladybug and a new superhero.

Ladybug's outfit had changed drastically from her previous skin-tight spotted one. She now wore a plain black suit with a spotted chest plate, spotted gloves and thigh high boots and an over-the-shoulder cape which resembled a ladybug's wings. Her mask had stayed the same, but her hairstyle had changed as well. A bun now sat central on the top of her head, held by a red ribbon which looked like antennae. The outfit change wasn't what shocked Adrien the most, however. The new cat-themed superhero was.

A girl this time, the suit was much different from his own. She had a block bodice that resembled a fencing uniform, grey shoulder guards and short grey gloves and boots. She also wore loose-fitting black trousers and a black long-sleeved shirt under her bodice. Similarly to his Chat Noir costume, she had a black mask and black cat ears atop her head. Instead of being made from a belt, her cat tail was made from light grey bandages wrapped around her waist. Her hair was short and black, and her eyes were green. Together, her and Ladybug looked like a real team.

A flood of ladybugs emanated from the streets of Paris, signalling that the pair had defeated Gigantitan. The Ladyblog had updated with a livestream called "An interview with the new team" which Adrien tapped hesitantly. He had missed the introduction by Alya, but he didn't mind. He just wanted answers.

"So, Ladybug, who is this new hero here with you today? What happened to Chat Noir?" The blogger knew exactly the questions her viewers wanted the answers to. Though, she obviously wanted the answers for herself as well.

Ladybug sighed, looked to her partner and then to the camera. "This is my new partner – Kuro Neko. She is Chat Noir's replacement. After the events of yesterday evening, I decided that Chat and I weren't that good of a team. Sure, we defeated the akumas, but I couldn't work with someone who thought that harassing me was okay. He favoured flirting with me rather than helping me saving the akumatised person. I trust Kuro Neko in and out of the costume and I am certain that all of you will see the difference in how fast things are fixed." Ladybug now stared directly into the camera's lens; her brows furrowed. "And if you are out there, watching me Chat, know that I am doing this out of necessity. I didn't want to replace you, but you left me no choice. Your kwami agreed with me as well." A squeeze of her hand brought her back to reality. Kuro Neko looked at her with a soft smile which she returned.

"I'm afraid that that will have to be then end of our interview. We need to go find a place to detransform. Bug out!"

"Cat out" Kuro Neko said with a wink. This caught Ladybug off guard and caused her to laugh. They both took off in the same direction.

Adrien threw his phone to the floor and screamed. He had been replaced by some "wanna-be Chat Noir" and Ladybug didn't love him. Not only that, she seemed to know Kuro's identity. After all that time fighting alongside Chat Noir, she trusted the new hero more than him. His blood boiled.

"Disparition, I am Hawk Moth. Ladybug doesn't trust you so I will give you the power to make her see how hard her life would have been without you. All I ask for in return is her and Kuro Neko's miraculouses."

"Go away Hawk Moth." He spat. "What kind of Chat Noir would I be if I just submit to you?"

The voice inside his head had stopped taking and the small, black butterfly had flown out of his window. Adrien stood there panting for a second before falling back onto his bed. How had Marinette done this multiple times? He looked over to his open window, towards where the school was. Everyone would be talking about Kuro Neko and what happened to Chat Noir. Of course, he didn't want to go, but it would make people suspicious if he didn't. Besides, he wanted to see his everyday Ladybug. He may not have a chance anymore with the real thing and Marinette would be good replacement.

Ladybug and Kuro Neko dropped into an alleyway close to Collége François Dupont before letting their transformations fall. Both of their kwamis floated tiredly in the air after having used up their energy.

"Here," Marinette said as she pulled out two macarons from her bag. "You may want to start bringing some snacks around for Plagg, Kagami. They need to eat so they can reenergise." Plagg and Tikki took the macarons with pleasure. Sure, Plagg would've preferred some tasty cheese, but who was he to complain when he had an original "Dupain-Cheng Bakery Macaron" to munch on.

Kagami giggled at the small creatures' big appetites. "I'll be sure to remember next time. And… Uhh… Are you doing anything later today? I was supposed to have fencing practice, but it has been cancelled. So maybe we could hang out?" A small blush crept onto her pale cheeks as she averted her eyes.

Marinette put her hand over her mouth as she giggled at the usually confident fencer's sudden nerves, a pink hue spreading to her own cheeks. "I'd like that very much Kagami. I'll text you later okay?" She turned around and ran towards the school, trying her hardest to not be late. Kagami looked on at her fondly before getting her phone out and texting Adrien.

"Won't be coming to fencing practice today, I've got a date instead."


	4. Chapter 4

*Ring!*

Marinette ran into the classroom just as the bell rang. She sighed with relief that she wasn't late. There were a couple of people who were, however. The second row to the front was empty, signifying that Alya and Lila weren't in yet. She stared at her old bench, wondering if anyone would notice if she sat there just for today, before heading to her seat in the back row. She used to hate being alone at the back, but now she's grown to love it. She can get on with her work without any distractions. Her grades have never been higher! Miss Bustier signalled for class to begin as two chatty teens walked through the door.

"Of course, I know who Kuro Neko is! What kind of best friend would I be if I didn't help Ladybug pick her new partner!" Lila was spewing lies again and Alya was hanging off her every word. "I can get you an interview with her if you'd like!"

"That would be amazing Lila! I'm so lucky to have you as a friend. Could you possibly get me one with Ladybug too? I want to ask about Chat Noir."

"Definitely! I'll get them to patrol near your house tonight!"

She was going to avoid that area on her patrol. Marinette took out her notebook and sketchbook from her bag. She scribbled "avoid Alya's house" onto one of the pages before turning her attention to her sketches. A small tailoring company took interest in her designs and offered to make them a reality. Whilst they weren't as famous as Agreste designs or Bourgeois, Marinette was thrilled to be so close to her design career. She was so focused on her designs; she didn't notice a certain blond peeking at her from the front row.

Class had ended with no drama. Lila had continued to spout lies for most of the lesson, but it was hard to hear them over the chatter of the class. Everyone was understandably excited about the new hero and were talking about what this meant for the future of Paris. No one had approached Marinette to blame her for "hurting" Lila which she took as a blessing.

"Hey Marinette!" The girl squeaked in surprise as Adrien stood next to her, breaking her train of thought. "Sorry if I scared you."

"No, I was just distracted. That's all. What's up?" Talking to him had gotten a lot easier recently. Sure, there were still feelings there, but they weren't as strong as they used to be.

A small blush appeared on his cheeks and he coyly looked to the side. "Well I was wondering if you'd want to hang out after collège. Maybe get a drink and go visit the Louvre?"

"I'm sorry Adrien but I'm going out with Kagami today. She's probably waiting for me outside of collège right now. Maybe some other time." Any other time, she would've pounced at going out with Adrien, but she wanted to get closer to her new partner. She didn't want to repeat the same mistakes she did with Chat.

"Wait, _you're _Kagami's date? I didn't know you or her felt that way about each other…" His face deflated at the news.

"D-DATE? Kagami told you we were going on a _date_?" Thankfully they were alone in the classroom. No snoopers to hear the conversation.

"So, you don't feel that way about her?" His eyes lightened and his lips turned upwards in a smile. It was a face like what Chat Noir would make when she admitted she wasn't getting any further with her crush. It made Marinette uneasy.

"No! Not in that way!" It was almost a shout, as if she was trying to convince herself. "I just like how she softens when she's around people she likes. How she's opened to me more since we became friends. How I can trust her to be there for me when others aren't. How she's passionate about her interests. How she walks with confidence and purpose. How her hair bounces with each step and how it smells of tea tree-" Her eyes widened abruptly as she looked into Adrien's. "Oh my gosh. I do have a crush on her!"

Adrien's heart sank. Marinette, his Ladybug replacement had just admitted that she loved someone else. Not only that, but she'd fallen for his 3rd choice – Kagami. His eyes glanced at the clock on the wall, wondering how much time he had to walk around and mope after this. Marinette also looked at the clock and then rushed to collect her bag.

"Oh gosh Kagami's going to be waiting for me! I need to go! See you tomorrow!" She darted out of the room, leaving a stunned Adrien stood on his own. He shouldn't have hesitated.


	5. Chapter 5

"Sorry I'm late!"

Marinette beamed as she ran up to her friend, before tackling her with a hug. The fencer stayed upright thanks to her sports training. She stood rigid, trying her hardest not to blush (but failing miserably). Marinette took notice of this and immediately pulled back.

"Oh gosh I'm so sorry! I-I should've asked if you were okay with being hugged! A lot of things have happened today, and I forgot that you didn't like close contact with people. Please don't hate me…" Her eyes darted to the floor as tears threatened to escape. Kagami had no idea what to do. She's been trained how to deal with competent fencers, not crying cutie-pies. After mentally scolding herself for that last thought, she decided the best plan of action was to hug her back. Sure, it wasn't as warm and comforting as the one Marinette gave, but it was the thought that counts.

"Marinette I could never hate you. You're way too sweet to hate. And… I admit that I kinda liked the hug. It was nice. So, before people start to think I've gone soft, how about we start our hangout?" The tears had all but disappeared from her eyes when she saw how caring Kagami's eyes looked. She sniffled before nodding.

"I'd like that. Though I should tell you that I spoke to Adrien earlier and he helped me realise some things." Kagami's heart sank. She knew Marinette had a huge crush on him. Her whole plan to sweep her off her feet was ruined. "He also told me that you called this a date."

"Before you say anything, just know that it was a spur of the moment thing. I wasn't thinking straight and it just ca-" Marinette's lips lightly pressed on Kagami's cheek, snapping her out of her train of thought. Her heart fluttered and her cheeks flushed pink. She longed for the moment to last longer and felt saddened when she pulled away.

"Kagami Tsurugi, would you do me the honour of going on this date with me and being my girlfriend?"

"Of course, Mari."

After visiting the bakery for some treats, the girls walked hand in hand through the park. Although they were shocked at first, Marinette's parents were completely supportive of her daughter's decision. They knew she was pansexual, but they didn't think she would've moved on so fast from Adrien.

They were happily chatting away whilst walking down the path, when they passed Alya and Lila. A devious grin formed on the liar's face as she fell to the floor, clutching her ankle. Her cries caused Marinette and Kagami to turn around. The former frowned and shuffled closer to the latter, who seemed confused at the whole situation.

"The Hell Marinette? You tripped Lila up!" Alya hissed and stood closer to her, her finger in her face. "Your jealousy has gone too far! I can't believe you've become such a bully!" This caused Marinette to start crying, dampening Kagami's blazer. It took all her willpower to not attack Alya right there and then. She took a deep breath before standing in between the angered girl and her new girlfriend.

"Mari? Jealous of her?" She gestured towards where Lila was laid on the floor. "Please. Marinette has standards. What could she possibly have that Marinette would be jealous of?"

Lila had to feign being hurt again after Alya looked back at her. "She's jealous because I'm so close to Adrien. He recently asked me to accompany him to his next photo shoot. Oops!" She covered her mouth with her hand to try to mask her smirk. "I probably shouldn't have said that seeing as you both have crushes on him."

"Also," Alya interjected, "Who are you calling her "Mari"? Last I knew, the two of you hated each other."

"Well you haven't talked to me for a while so it's not surprising that you have no idea what's been going on with me. But, seeing as you asked, Kagami is my girlfriend. I haven't had a crush on Adrien for about a couple of months." Lila and Alya's jaws dropped. Alya wanted to say something but she couldn't find the right words. "Oh, and Lila, feel free to try and woo Adrien. He's all yours." With that, Marinette and Kagami walked away to continue their date. Leaving a shocked Alya and an angry Lila behind.

She was fuming. Marinette was supposed to be rejected by Adrien after everyone else had abandoned her, leaving her truly alone; Not by getting with someone else! Now she needed another plan to ruin her life. Her's and that stupid Ladybug's.


	6. Chapter 6

Evening had just hit Paris. The sky was filled with hues of orange and purple, giving the city a magical vibe. Kagami and Marinette were sat viewing the city on the latter's balcony; their kwamis resting on the table nearby. Marinette's head rested on Kagami's shoulder as they held hands. Everything felt so serene.

"As much as I want this moment to last longer, we should probably go on patrol before it gets too dark." Kagami nudged Marinette's head off her shoulder, causing the girl to groan. 'Why is she so cute?'

"Ugh fine…" Marinette yawned, failing to hide her tiredness. "Though can we please avoid the Champ de Mars area? Alya lives there and after today, she's the last person I want to see."

"You still haven't told me what happened in your class. I'm guessing this has something to do with that 'Lila' girl." She gently pulled Marinette up to her feet. She was looking at the floor, a frown on her face.

"She lied about knowing your identity, saying that she was the one that picked you especially. Now Alya wants an interview which will no doubt end with her spewing a lot of nonsense about Lila. I've tried to disprove her in the past as both myself and Ladybug, but nothing works."

"Let me try." Kagami wore an expression that was usually reserved for fencing – pure determination. "You saw what happened in the park; Lila couldn't argue back when I proved her wrong. With both of us there refuting her claims, Alya won't have any option but to listen."

Marinette's face brightened, making Kagami blush. She was a literal ball of sunshine. "Okay, let's do this!"

"Tikki/Plagg! Transform us!"

Alya stood on her balcony, camera poised. If the heroes came this way, she would surely see them. Suddenly, flashes of red and black hopped from roof to roof. She grinned. Her opportunity for the perfect interview had arrived.

"Ladybug! Kuro Neko! Do you two mind coming over here for an interview?" The two heroes feigned discussing it; they already knew what their answer was. They jumped off the rood they were stood on and landed gracefully on the balcony. "Thank you so much! This will be going live on the blog!" Alya squealed in excitement, leading them into her room. She fiddled about a bit with her computer before pressing the record button on her camera. They were live.

"Hello Ladybug fans! Today I have a very special live interview for you with Ladybug and our newest hero, Kuro Neko!" Ladybug and Neko waved at the camera. "Now then, I'm going to ask you a few questions that were submitted by my followers and classmates. Firstly, for you Ladybug, what's it like having a new partner? Do you think Chat Noir will ever make a comeback?"

Ladybug grimaced. As much as she hated talking about him, she knew that she would have to eventually. "Kuro Neko and I are already working better together than Chat Noir and I ever did. It's a pleasant change to have a partner that doesn't flirt with me constantly or whine when I refuse to tell him my identity. Of course, knowing each other's identities has it's dangers, but I think we're a better team because of it. And for the second question, no. Chat Noir will not be coming back to the team." Kuro Neko squeezed Ladybug's hand. It must've been hard talking about her old partner considering what he had done to her.

"We have a question from a 'RoseyKitty' in our live chat. They ask: 'Are you two dating? That hand hold looked more than just friendly to me!'" They quickly parted their hands and looked away from each other, blush spreading on their cheeks. Kuro Neko was about to tell them to mind their own business, when Ladybug piped up.

"Yes, we are dating. I would prefer it if, in the future, you would refrain from asking us about our personal lives. This is all that we are willing to disclose."

Alya was practically buzzing from that snippet of information. She'd been waiting ages for a scoop like this! It would bring so many new followers to her blog. Once she'd calmed down, she asked her next question. "Kuro Neko, what's your relationship with Lila Rossi? I know she and Ladybug are best friends and she hand picked you for the role of the new black cat, but I don't know exactly what her relationship with you is." Ladybug had to try and hold back a laugh at how absurd that statement was. She wanted to say something so bad, but it was her girlfriend's turn to speak.

"I have only met Miss Rossi once before and it wasn't a very nice experience. I certainly hope that I don't have the luck of meeting her again. Though with her constantly being akumatised, I'm sure I will."

Alya's jaw was practically on the floor. She was supposed to say how much she loved Lila, not how much she hated her! "B-but why don't you like her? Didn't she give you your miraculous? She's done so much work for charity with Prince Ali that I thought she would've been loved by everyone! Except my friend Marinette, but she's gone crazy calling her a liar!"

Ladybug couldn't hold in her laugh this time. It took a while before she regained her composure. "Lila hasn't done any of those things. I don't trust anyone but myself to hand out miraculouses. Especially not someone who's been akumatised multiple times. As for her 'charity work', no sources say that she's been involved in anything of this type with Prince Ali. You're a journalist. I thought that checking sources would've been the first thing you'd do. It sounds like your friend was right about her."

Alya was shaking, her mind fixated on what Ladybug had just said. There was no way Lila was lying. It must all just be a misunderstanding! Yeah, that's it! She'd talk to Lila at school tomorrow and get it all cleared up! Looking back at her live chat, she spotted a question that would help the interview get back on track. "A user by the name of 'BlackCatGreenEyes' would like to know what will happen to the other miraculous holders. Will they be getting replaced?" She looked pleadingly at Ladybug, but her expression remained unchanged, almost cold.

"The entire team will be getting revamped. Unfortunately, the past wielders have proven to be rather untrustworthy, so they will no longer be on the team. I already have ideas of who to pick for the fox, turtle and bee." She nodded at Kuro Neko who then nodded back. They both stood up and walked towards the open balcony doors. "We better be getting back to our patrol. Thank you for interviewing us." Ladybug jumped away first, leaving Kuro Neko alone with a rather upset Alya.

"If I find that anyone has been harassing her about our relationship or lying about us, it will not be pretty. Leave. Us. Alone" With that warning, she left the room.

Alya shut off the recording abruptly. Her mind was racing. She was no longer going to be Rena Rouge. Someone else was going to be the fox. Suddenly, her vision went blurry and a soothing voice spoke to her.

"Reine Renard, I am Hawkmoth."


	7. Chapter 7

A gigantic boom shook all of Paris, making the two heroines stop in their tracks and turn back to the Césaire house. The roof of the house was completely gone, small embers remained from the explosion. In the midst of it all was Alya – or Reine Renard as she was now called. Her outfit was mainly the same as her superhero form but her hair defied gravity by floating upwards, flames licking at the tips. A small crown rested on her head made of black metal and hessonite garnets. In a flash, her eyes snapped open, revealing black sclera and bright amber irises. She raised her flute-turned-staff at a different building and wisps of fire shot forward, incinerating it in seconds.

"A-Alya?" Ladybug said, shaken. How could her old friend have become something so frightening? And why?

"Oh… There you are Ladybug!" She spat at the hero like venom. "You turned my dream of being a hero, like you, to ashes, so now I'll burn everything you love until nothing remains!" A fireball was shot their way, but they were able to nimbly dodge it. "Lila was right about you. When people aren't of use to you anymore, you just throw them aside!" Ladybug and Kuro Neko dropped into an alley way just in time as another searing shot was thrown overhead. Reine Renard prowled across the rooftops, looking for the heroes. "That's it, hide for now as when I burn Paris to the ground, there won't be anywhere left for you to go!"

"Wow, she's a strong one. Right Ladybug-?" Kuro Neko turned to her partner to see that she was having a panic attack. "Woah, woah! Hey, it's going to be okay! We can fix this like we always do."

"This is all my fault…" She could barely hold herself upright. Her breathing was ragged, and her body was shaking violently. "I should never have told her she was going to be replaced. The anger she must be feeling right now is because of me!" Kuro Neko stood there stunned for a second. Paris' infallible hero was stood in front of her breaking down. Had she ever done this around Chat Noir? She shook her head to regain her composure before detransforming and picking Ladybug up bridal style. "Wh-what? Kagam-?"

"Detransform now. We're going to Fu's. It's clear we're going to need help with this one." Marinette shed her disguise and was a simple schoolgirl once more. With a quick look to see if they were safe, Kagami dashed towards the familiar shop across the street. Being so close to her girlfriend and the reassurance she gave was enough to calm Marinette down. They were going to win this one.

"Marinette, Kagami, I had a feeling you two would show up today." The wise old man was sat on a cushion, the miracle box in front of him. He opened the lid to reveal 2 miraculouses in the top and many others hidden away in the drawers. "Pick an ally you can trust to help you in this battle."

Marinette's hand went towards the bee and fox miraculouses. She hesitated for a second before picking them both up. "I have an idea for who to pick for these, but I need you to give one of them to them." She said, handing the fox miraculous to Kagami. "Find Luka Couffaine. Something tells me he'll be a good choice for this miraculous."

Kagami nodded before speaking, "What about the bee, don't tell me you plan on giving it to that Chloé. She's very rude."

Mari chuckled. "Don't worry, I have the perfect plan on who to pick for this one."

Kuro Neko dropped down onto the boat, the only thing around that hadn't been incinerated yet. Luka peeked through the window to see what the noise was. When he saw it was her, he opened the door and ushered her in quickly. "Kuro Neko? What're you doing here? Does Ladybug need my help again?"

"This current akuma is definitely a formidable one. We need you to don the fox miraculous and help us to defeat it. Will you fight with us?" Her hand opened to reveal the pendant. A shocked expression appeared on Luka's face when he realised it wasn't the snake bracelet. Nevertheless, he took the pendant and placed it around his neck.

A small fox kwami twirled around him before settling in front of his face. "Hiya! I'm Trixx, your kwami! With me by your side, you'll be granted the power of illusion. Whenever you're ready, just say 'Trixx! Let's pounce!'"

Luka muttered the magic phrase and was immediately covered in an orange glow. When it subsided, a new superhero stood in his place. He wore a white shirt underneath an orange blazer with a black trim. The tails of the blazer formed a fox tail. A scarf covered the bottom half of his face whilst the top was covered by a white and orange mask. Two fox ears appeared on his head and his normally black/blue hair turned black/white. "Woah this is different." He said as he looked down at himself.

"Come on then… umm…"

"Call me Foxic."

Kuro Neko smiled. "Come on then Foxic. I'm sure Ladybug will be waiting for us with another new hero."

It had been a while since she was last here, she thought as she made her way to a certain window. The Agreste mansion was still as cold as she remembered. She spied a boy sat on his bed watching the news through the window. That's who she was looking for.

Adrien was startled when he saw Ladybug at his window, smoke rising in the background. He ran to the window to let her in. "Ladybug! I saw the news, what's going on?"

"Someone wasn't happy when I told them new people were getting the miraculouses, and no, it wasn't Chloé. Kuro Neko and I need help."

"You're not giving me Sass again are you? I think I'm still a bit scarred from last time." He shuddered at the thought of watching Ladybug die repeatedly. With a fire based akuma, it would be even more gruesome.

"You're getting a different miraculous today." She opened her hand to reveal the bee comb. "Adrien Agreste, this is miraculous of the bee which will grant you the power of subjection. Will you join me and Kuro Neko?"

Adrien looked shocked at the bee miraculous in front of him. He knew the power it possessed. Being able to paralyse a person wasn't something to be used lightly. His eyes lit up at this thought as he smirked. "Yes Ladybug, I will join you."


	8. Chapter 8

Kuro Neko and Foxic were stood on one of the last remaining buildings in Paris when Ladybug and a new hero joined them. He had neat golden hair with black streaks, and a black and yellow mask covering blue eyes. His outfit consisted of a yellow suit jacket, black vest and trousers and a pair of dress shoes. Kuro Neko noted that he seemed more suited to be going to a party than to fight.

"Ladybug, I brought Foxic just as you asked." She stated to her partner before turning to the new recruit. "I assume this is the new bee. Pleasure to be working with you."

"You too." Adrien said coldly. This girl had taken his miraculous and he wasn't prepared to be friendly with her. It had been a week since he lost Plagg and whilst the bee may not feel as powerful, it would have to do. "And it's Yellow Jacket. I think you'll find me quite competent so don't refer to me as 'new' or anything." His glare matched her own as the tension grew between the new team.

"Right." Ladybug's voice took their attention away from each other as Kuro Neko went to stand beside her, their fingers interlacing. Yellow Jacket tried to hide his sneer. "I have a plan to stop Reine Renard, but I'll need your full cooperation."

A red gloved hand reached up into the sky and when I came back down, it had in it a fireproof blanket. She smiled confidently as she talked into her yoyo. "The plan is ready. Foxic, you're up." Turning to her partner, she noticed the small frown on her face. "What's wrong Nekimi? You seem down."

Kuro Neko sighed before looking at her girlfriend. "It's Yellow Jacket. He didn't seem to like me that much. I don't think I was rude or anything so why?"

Ladybug pondered the question for a moment. "Maybe he was a big Chat Noir fan. I know Adrien likes heroes because he had pictures of me on his computer so he might not be used to you yet?"

"I should've known it was him when I saw that outfit." Kuro Neko snickered. "It looks like he's dressed for a wedding or something." Ladybug began to chuckle; the sound of her yoyo beeping made her stop.

"Illusion and YJ are in place. He wants to know why you picked her as a distraction especially considering her track record. And I'm a bit curious too" Foxic said into his flute.

"Just wait until the trap works. The you'll both see why. Keep the illusion to the script we set earlier and keep hidden. We don't want this to go wrong."

Reine Renard stormed about Paris, setting things ablaze in her wake. The two heroes should be out by now so, where were they? She was just about to set fire to another building when she spied a figure on a rooftop. Two large ears sat atop the figure's head. Oh great, a new fox. She had been replaced just like that. The fire inside her burned brighter as she leapt up to the roof, just to see who it really was.

"Volpina? Wait… Lila?" Alya shrieked. "Ladybug replaced me with my best friend?"

"Of course she did! I am her best friend after all, and I am clearly best suited for the job. My illusions are masterfully created and look how good I look in orange!" Volpina twirled around showing off her outfit, the exact same as her akumatised form. "My outfit's better than yours was at least."

"H-how could you do this? We were friends! I expected something like this from Marinette not you!" Steam erupted from Reine Renard's eyes as her tears instantly evaporated. It seemed that the angrier she got, the hotter she became.

"Friends? Alya I used you to get closer to Ladybug. How else was I supposed to do it? Your blog was the only one around that actually had her endorsement. And it seemed like my plan worked as I'm the new fox heroine!" A laugh escaped her lips as she took a couple of steps closer to the akuma. "I'm everything you wanted to be and more"

Volpina's form dissipated as Reine Renard's flute stabbed straight through its heart. Confused by the sudden disappearance, she didn't have the time to notice the spinning-top wrapping around her.

"Wha-what the? Queen Bee? Ladybug let you keep your miraculous and not me?" Her eyes widened when she turned around to see Yellow Jacket stood there smirking. "Another new hero? I swear I'll burn you alive!" Flames burst from her hands and were sent towards the bee hero. Just as they were about to reach him, Ladybug jumped in between the two, blocking the flames with the fireproof sheet.

"Alya this has gone too far. At first, I was willing to maybe give you another chance but now that ship has well and truly sailed." Ladybug looked down at Reine Renard as Kuro Neko and Foxic came to stand next to her.

"That's not Lila… I thought Lila was the new fox! The illusion-"

"Was created by Foxic here. I know you're close to Lila which is why we chose to have her as the illusion. I would never let Lila have a miraculous. She constantly lies and puts others in danger. I can't have someone like that on my team." Her eyes softened slightly at the sight of her former best friend sat on the floor looking utterly betrayed. "I'm sorry that Lila has tricked you, Alya. By the sounds of things, you're not the only one. I'm sure you can find the truth."

Kuro Neko cataclysmed the possessed item and Ladybug threw her lucky charm into the air. The city of Paris was soon returned to its normal non-burnt state. The beeping of Ladybug's and Foxic's miraculouses signified the end of the fight.

"I best go and return Yellow Jacket's miraculous before I transform back. Kuro Neko would you mind sorting Foxic out?" A quick nod from her partner let her know that she was fine to leave. "Thank you. Now Yellow Jacket, follow me and I'll take you home."

Ladybug and Yellow Jacket landed in Adrien's bedroom. She went towards his computer, noting his choice of screensaver.

"I'm flattered to be your screensaver Adrien. I didn't know you liked heroes that mu-"

She was halted by a sharp jab in her back. Yellow Jacket stood behind her, spinning-top in hand with venom active. He silently dragged her still form towards a chair and tied her up on it using some rope.

"Pollen, destransform me." As his transformation fell, Ladybug became able to move again and began struggling against the binds.

"A-Adrien what are you doing?" Her voice sounded panicked. "Let me go! I'm going to detransform soon!"

He walked up to her, hand reaching out to touch her face. "Don't worry, My Lady."


	9. Chapter 9

"Ahh, Kagami. You have brought the miraculouses back to me?" The old master stood up from his cushion to open the miracle box for the Japanese girl.

"Just the fox one. Hasn't Marinette come back with the bee yet? She left before me and the holder's house is closer than the fox's." She asked puzzled as she placed the necklace into its spot, noting the absence of the bee comb. Just as Fu shut the box, a small green kwami flew rapidly into the room. Fear prevalent on his face.

"Master I sensed it, the bee, it's being misused. I fear Ladybug may be in danger." Kagami leapt up quickly. The look of panic strange on her usually stoic face. She reached for the box of miraculouses and grabbed the fox again, Trixx appeared in a flash of orange light.

"I hate to do this to you but are you able to transform again? Ladybug is in danger and I think I'm going to need your power if I'm to save her." Trixx nodded his head. "Good. Find your holder again, tell him to meet me near the Agreste mansion." The fox kwami flew out of the room, desperately looking to find Luka as Plagg appeared from Kagami's jacket.

"I knew it was a bad idea picking Adrien for the role. We need to hurry for Marinette's sake."

Kagami looked quizzically at her kwami. "Wait, how did you know?"

"Because he was my previous holder."

Ladybug's eyes darted around her, trying to find something she could use to escape. Though the main reason was to avoid Adrien's gaze.

"My lady, look at me. It's me! Your Kitten! Why won't you look at me?!" His fist hit the table next to her, causing her to jump and breaking her out of her frantic state. Her eyes turned to his and he stepped back. They weren't full of love like he had expected, they were full of malice.

"Let me go." Her voice was cold and demanding. If looks could kill, Adrien would've been dead ten times over. He shook his head. Her earrings beeped. There were two spots left. "Listen to me Adrien, if you ever loved me, you'll let me go." She hated being manipulative but desperate times called for desperate measures.

"You know I can't do that. I really love you Bugaboo but it's apparent you don't feel the same for me. By spending time with me, you'll soon feel the same. Besides, it's only fair I know your identity as I told you mine."

Her earrings beeped for the last time as she was engulfed by a bright pink light. When it subsided, Marinette sat in the chair, still tied up. Her eyes had tears in them that threatened to spill. The one that she had trusted for so long had just violated her privacy. Any shred of a crush had most certainly vanished.

"M-Mari? Oh, my goodness this is perfect! You were my second choice after Ladybug. But you're the same person! And Alya told me you had a crush on me so we both feel the same! Oh, I'm so happy I could kiss you!" He leant in for a kiss but was quickly kicked away by her free legs. "B-but…"

"But nothing! You harassed me while you still had your miraculous, so it got taken away. You abused my trust by using the bee miraculous against me. And you violated my trust by forcing me to show my identity to you. Yes, I had a crush on you but that has long gone now. Just like you will be when Kuro Neko on Foxic bust through that window."

He quickly turned around to see the two heroes standing on the opposite rooftop. His expression darkened. "Not if I stop them first. No one is taking you away from me until you see sense. Pollen, buzz on." A very tired kwami was sucked into the comb. His suit was darker than last time, the bright yellow turning to a more mustard colour.

"Good luck beating them without your power, seeing as you didn't feed your kwami." Marinette chimed, a smirk on her face. Adrien glowered at her as he tightened her restraints.

"Don't go anywhere, not that you can, this will be quick. I'm experienced after all." He swung out of the window at the two heroes who turned to run away.

Marinette sighed as she swivelled her chair to face the dark corner of the room, where two green eyes peered back at her. "Good idea using an illusion to lure him away. You'll make a great strategist. I knew you'd come and save me."

Kuro Neko stepped out of the shadows, her outfit allowing her to blend in seamlessly. "Of course, I came. You're my girlfriend after all."


	10. Chapter 10

"We better be quick." Kuro Neko said as she untied Marinette. "Foxic is distracting Adrien as we speak, and I don't know how long he'll last." She turned towards a cupboard, opening it to reveal a small portion of camembert and giving it to Tikki.

"How did you know that was in there?" Asked Marinette. She rubbed her wrists where she was tied and winced at the pain.

"When I was at Master Fu's Plagg mentioned needing to give Tikki some food and told me where to find some." She glanced at Marinette's wrists. "Those look really sore. I swear when I get my claws on him-"

"We can't do anything without revealing my identity to the world. He knows who I am. He can use that against me. I-I'll have to deal with him at school. Oh gosh what am I going to do?" She was pacing back and forth as she ranted. Kagami watching intently.

"We can sort that out later. For now, let's focus on catching him."

Nodding at that statement, Marinette transformed back into Ladybug. They swung out of the open window and into the Paris skyline, ready to take on their old crush.

Foxic crashed into a dark alleyway while Trixx was flung out of his pendant. The illusions dissipated and a scream could be heard from the rooftops. He looked up to see a yellow figure jumping between the buildings. If he stayed there any longer, he'd surely be found. So, he crept out of the alleyway and straight into Alya Césaire.

"Oh, Luka! What were you doing in there?" She peered into the alleyway just as Yellow Jacket landed next to her.

"Alya you're just the person I wanted to see! Have you seen that mangy cat anywhere? I'd love to give her a piece of my mind and my spinning top. The new fox must've created an illusion to lure me away fro- Marinette!"

"Wait what does this have to do with her?" Luka's face dropped when he realised. He was trying to lead Yellow Jacket away from Ladybug. And if he was worried about Marinette then that means they are one in the same. "I-I just realised I have to be at guitar practice. Thank you for saving Paris from that akuma earlier and I'll see you around I guess, Alya." He rushed off towards the Seine just to be pulled into another alleyway by a red gloved hand.

"Marine- I mean Ladybug! He's realised that it was a ruse. I'm sorry I couldn't keep going for longer."

"Sounds like you realised something too." Luka blushed at that and went to speak before being cut off. "There's no need to apologise. I should've known that you would figure it out eventually, something about us having the same songs?" They both giggled. "Anyway, I have a plan to stop Yellow Jacket but you need to recharge first. Good thing I have a macaron for Trixx!" The small fox-like creature beamed from ear to ear at the news and swallowed the sweet treat whole, recharging him instantly.

"Trixx, let's pounce!" Foxic was once again suited up with the flute in his hands, ready for the plan.

"I need you to create an illusion of me and Kagami Tsurugi kissing – civilian me that is." Blushing at the thought, Ladybug tried to compose herself before saying the next part, "And when Yellow Jacket attacks the illusion in a blind rage, that's when we will take his miraculous."

Foxic seemed confused at Ladybug's weird plan but knew better than to question it. After all, she was the saviour of Paris. All her plans have succeeded in the past. "Sounds good. But I do have one question. How are you going to get the miraculous off him?"

Embarrassment filled Ladybug's face. "I do have one plan. I just hope Kuro Neko will be okay with it."

Scouting the rooftops, Yellow Jacket huffed. There had been no sign of his lady, not since the stupid fox and the imposter played that cruel trick on him. He was contemplating crashing the news broadcast to send a message when he saw her – Marinette Dupain-Cheng – in the park, running towards someone. His heart soared but soon came crashing down when he saw her embracing one of his friends – Kagami Tsurugi. And then they kissed.

Yellow Jacket saw red. That was his beloved kissing another girl. So, he flew at them, spinning top at the ready and aimed at Kagami. No-one could kiss her but him. Imagine his confusion as they dissipated right in front of him. He was so confused in fact that he didn't see the red-clad heroine walking straight towards him, until she tilted his head up with her hand.

"I knew you cared about me, but I didn't know it was this much. Consider me surprised, Adrien."

"Y-you tricked me again! How could you?" His anger was soon quelled by a finger on his lips.

"You had to prove to me how much you loved me, and I must say I'm impressed. You're completely devoted. I like that in a person." She inched closer to him, so their faces were almost touching. "So how about we kiss and make up and forget about these recent days?"

He was ecstatic. His lady was finally seeing sense and was going to kiss him. He leant in slowly. Closer and closer until… Ladybug moved out of the way and a strong force on his back sent him crashing into the floor.

"Ladybug! Get the comb!" The cat-themed superhero that was pinning him down screamed. He tried to free himself but was no match for Kuro Neko. Soon he was back to being just Adrien with two very angry heroines glaring at him. As he tried to speak, he was quickly cut of by a seriously enraged Ladybug.

"I don't know what the hell you were playing at, but you better stay the hell away from me, Agreste."

"We're partners! You can't just cut me out like this! I won't let you!"

"Come anywhere near me and I'll say you used me as a hostage to get closer to Ladybug. Alya has already posted a video on her blog of you chasing after the others and then getting really worried about me."

"No one else knows my identity. How are you going to prove it was me without outing yourself?"

"My kwami took my phone and got a video of you transforming in your room. You were too busy confessing your love to me to notice. Keep away from me and none of this will go to the police."

Adrien huffed in defeat. There was no way of getting out of this now. Ladybug and Kuro Neko took this as a cue to leave. As they vaulted over the rooftops of Paris, he took his phone out, sending one message.

"I want to be home-schooled again."


End file.
